PRACTICE TEST 3

SECTION A: VOCABULARY AND STRUCTURES

I. Select the best option for each sentence.
1. If I can afford the operation, I think I’ll go ______.
A. Dutch B. on my own C. private D. public
2. It’s believed that violent films can ______ people to violence in real life.
A. mislead B. desensitize C. misbehave D. outdo
3. He’s on his own now – he’ll have to ______ his own canoe.
A. row B. steer C. paddle D. ride
4. The police asked him to give a ______ description of the accident that he had witnessed.
A. blow by blow B. word for word C. up and down D. in and out
5. If I were you, I would regard their offer with considerable _____, because it seems too good to be true.
A. disbelief B. doubt C. suspicion D. reservation
6. Bob Dylan? That name rings a ______.
A. tune B. bell C. door D. rhyme
7. It’s a typical example of not being able to see the ______ for the trees.
A. bush B. hedge C. land D. wood
8. Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I guess I really put my ______ in my mouth.
A. foot B. hand C. elbow D. knee
9. Ask Tom, he's got money to ______.
A. throw B. eat C. burn D. cut
10. The word “friendship” can be ______ applied to a wide variety of relationships.
A. lightly B. slightly C. sparingly D. loosely

II. Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the words in brackets.
1. When I first saw the island I was completely enraptured by the wonderful view. (RAPTURE)
2. The village I visited is so peaceful – in fact, it’s quite idyllic. (IDYLL)
3. You have to be quick-thinking and resourceful to be good at many jobs. (RESOURCE)
4. The people most suited to making lifestyle changes are those who are clever and enterprising.
(ENTERPRISE)
5. He stood at the door to make sure that no one gate-crashed the party. (GATE)
6. Sales forecasts indicate a poor outlook for the clothing industry. (LOOK)
7. Despite going to German classes twice a week, I don’t feel I’m making much ___________ with the
language. (HEAD)
8. The negotiations are at a standstill, with neither side willing to make concessions. (STAND)
9. The extensiveness of his knowledge surprised them. (EXTEND)
10. It was sheer ecstasy riding in the roller coaster and I would like to try it again. (ECSTATIC)

III. Read the text and find 10 mistakes and correct them.
For the past eight years, many of the world’s leading classical musicians have gathered together in
Switzerland’s most glitzy(glitziest) ski resort to play, to teach and socialise. If this were all, it would be the
ultimate classical music insiders’ club. But the attraction of Verbier, their(its) charm and relevance, is that it
is also home for three weeks to more than 100 young musicians from 31 countries, starried-eye(starry-
eyed) about meeting the masters and getting a crashing(crash) course at the highest possible level.
Conductors of the world’s top orchestras are off(on) hand to get the young musicians into shape, coaxing
fine performances of so(such) daunting challenges as Mahler’s Third Symphony and Brahms’ First Symphony.
Verbier is the creation of the Swede, Martin Engstroem, who for many years was a leading agent. He
wanted to run his own festival and, having some of the best contacts of(in) the business, it was not hard to
find a Swiss ski resort to look(looking) for a summer boost, rich villa owners keen to open their houses to
musical celebrities and stars used to being indulgent(indulged). Engstroem is the most relaxed and

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charming of men, but in his way he is a dictator. The music heard at Verbier tends to be of his classical taste
with barely a note of(to) the contemporary.

IV. Complete each of the following sentences with a suitable preposition or particle.
1. Breaking his leg a second time put Peter’s football career in jeopardy.
2. Bob, don't be cruel and stop mocking at the way Lucy pronounces French words.
3. Their situation was critical. They had no map, their water supplies were running low and they had no food
to subsist on.
4. Please do up your safety belt before we begin the journey.
5. He shot the bird while it was on the wing.
6. He has already run through the money his father left him two years ago.
7. She averted her face at the sight of his suffering.
8. Well, the beautician did something to her face, and now she's beyond recognition.
9. John and George were both vying for her attention at the party.
10. He was passed over in the first time he applied for promotion, but he seems to stand better chance this
time.

V. Fill in each gap with one suitable word from the box.

spick bred shine tired off sweet no

early now about ends bounds tear that
take soul go hit burned between
1. Every successful relationship needs some give and take.
2. I was born and bred in Queensland.
3. I am sick and tired of this rain!
4. Apart from some minor wear and tear, the bicycle is in good condition.
5. It has been raining on and off all week.
6. The doctor said that it is touch-and-go whether Mary will be okay.
7. I’ll see you tomorrow bright and early.
8 His English has improved in leaps and bounds.
9. He is at home recovering, but he should be out and about soon.
10. A: What did you get up to on the weekend? B: Not a lot. This and that.
11. I’ve just got a few odds and ends to pick up from my old apartment and then I will have finished moving.

12. I think I crashed and burned in the test.

13. We get together for a few beers now and then.
14. The game will go ahead come rain or shine.
15. She always puts her heart and soul into her work.
16. Let’s try to keep the meeting short and sweet.
17. I find his films a bit hit- or- miss.
18. Cheap places to eat are few and far between in the city.
19. A: Did you have a good trip? B: Yes and no.
20. I want the house spick and span by the time I get home.

SECTION B: READING COMPREHENSION

I. Choose the words that best complete the sentences in the text.
The knowledge and eloquence that people (1)_____ through travelling is usually perceived as the best
(2)_____ in life. It is the inquisitive human nature that (3)_____people to seek (4)_____ experiences and to
set out on an exploration trip. Those who travel frequently and to (5)_____ places benefit from establishing
new relationships and (6)_____a better knowledge about other cultures and lifestyles.
However, there is a (7)_____ of truth in the assumption that people are prone to (8)_____ clichés and
unfounded prejudices about other nations and their characteristics. Sometimes, it is only the first-hand
encounter that can help change the (9)_____ towards the so-called 'inferior communities'. This direct contact

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with a different civilization enables travellers to (10)_____ their baseless assumptions and get (11)_____ with
the real concept of life in all four corners of the globe.
(12)_____ question, travelling (13)_____ friendship and makes it easier for many individuals to
acknowledge the true value of different traditions and customs. Yet, it does not always mean enjoyment. It
may also (14)_____ coming close with the atrocities of real existence as well as becoming aware of the
challenges and hardships that other people have to struggle with. Hence, a true voyage is the one with a
good deal of experience to (15) _____ about, very often combined with exposure to abhorrent sights and
incredible ordeals. The learning to be complete, thus, requires an ability to observe and analyse the
surroundings, both their glamour and brutality.
1.    A. purchase                  B. exact                  C. gain                      D. nurture
2.    A. completion               B. fulfilment            C. conclusion              D. resolution
3.    A. impels                    B. involves              C. entails                    D. pursues
4.    A. thriving                   B. throbbing             C. thwarting               D. thrilling
5.    A. reverse                   B. averse                 C. diverse                 D. converse
6.    A. acquiring               B. educating            C. learning                 D. exacting
7.    A. speck                      B. grain                   C. scrap                  D. tip
8.    A. persevering             B. cherishing           C. indulging                D. persisting
9.    A. prejudice                B. manner               C. outlook                  D. approach
10. A. drop                      B. cease                   C. fail                        D. quit
11. A. informed                 B. realized                C. acquainted           D. defined
12. A. Apart                      B. Beyond                C. Unfailing                D. Beneath
13. A. facilitates             B. affords                C. elicits                    D. incites
14.  A. involve                  B. derive                  C. consist                  D. enclose
15. A. commemorate         B. reminisce            C. resemble               D. remind

II. Read the article below about computer games. Choose from the list (A-G) the sentence which
best fits in each blank space (1-6) in the article. There is one extra sentence which you do not
need to use.
It looks as though many young people may have some good news coming their way. (1) __G__.
Scientists say the games, far from being bad for adolescents, actually help them develop their skills of
concentration, visualization and problem-solving.
(2) __D___. The results of a study of about 200 students in America and Italy were recently published in
the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. (3) __F___.
There is further evidence too. (4) __E___. Scholar J.C. Hetz, of Harvard University, said: ‘Video games
are perfect training for life in transactional America where daily existence demands the ability to arrange 16
kinds of information being fired at you simultaneously from telephones, televisions, fax machines, papers,
personal digital assistants, voice messaging systems, postal delivery, e-mail and the Internet. (5) __B___.
Those to the joystick born have a built-in advantage.’
Such statements would have been treated as heresy only five years ago by parents and teachers. (6)
___A__.

A There had been fears children would form a ‘mindless addiction’.

B ‘You have to recognize patterns in this whirl of data and you have to do it fast.’
C This goes against previously held beliefs.
D According to a report in the New York Times, some experts believe computer games
are a contributing factor in the steady rise in IQ scores in the industrialized world.
E It seems that a youth ‘misspent’ in the company of computer games serves as useful
grooming for a role in a high-technology economy.
F The researchers concluded that computer games should be seen as a form of
intellectual exercise.
G A growing body of research in America suggests computer and video games may
benefit young minds.

Find words in the complete reading text that mean the following:
7. communicated very rapidly and repeatedly

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 8. very strong or constant need or desire for something
9. belief which goes against accepted ones
10. clues based on experience or information

III. Read the passage and do the tasks that follow.

BUILDING HOUSES OUT OF EARTH
On every continent, one can find houses or other buildings made of the clay–bearing  soils dug up from
the ground. In some places, earth building technologies have been around for a very long time. In the
southwestern United States, for example, American Indian tribes such as the Pueblo people have been
building earth houses and other earth structures for thousands of years. And in China’s Xinjiang Province,
archaeologists have found entire earth villages dating back over 2500 years. While building houses out of
earth is certainly not new, it has never been very common because of the preference for other materials.
In some parts of the world, however, there has been renewed growth in the popularity of earth building.
Two such places are Australia and New Zealand, where the practice did not exist until the relatively recent
arrival of European settlers. It is estimated that there are now over 2100 houses made of earth in Australia,
and 35% of them were built within the past decade. An equal proportion of the 550 earthen structures in
New Zealand were built in the last five years. This trend appears to reflect growing earth construction in North
America and Western Europe.
Why the renewed interest in earth building? The building material itself is probably the reason. Earth is
available virtually anywhere, literally under our feet.  And unlike many other building materials that typically
require treatment with chemical preservatives, earth is non-toxic. This cannot be said for commercially sold
timber and brick products.
Another well-known characteristic of earth houses is their passive solar capacity –  their ability to retain
warmth in the winter and keep cool in the summer  without the need for dedicated solar panels, plumbing or
fossil fuel energy  sources. This comes entirely from the effective way in which earthen walls act to store
heat.
Some people claim that earth buildings are cheaper to build than conventional brick or wooden houses,
the two most common types in Australia and New Zealand.  This appears to be true, according to data from
the New Zealand Construction  Quarterly. Assuming walls make up 15% of the cost of building a house,
then the use of earthen walls would bring a total saving of 10% over timber frame construction and 38% over
brick.
But perhaps most attractive of all is the unique atmosphere provided by earth houses, with their natural
colors, their acoustic properties and thick, solid walls.
Not all earth building is done the same way. The technologies used vary from region to region,
depending on the types of earth available and local building traditions. They are also undergoing constant
study and improvement, with a view to bettering resistance to earthquakes and weather.
In New Zealand, stabilisers such as cement, sand, straw, even cow dung, have been found to make a
stronger and longer-lasting material when added to earth. The downside of using particularly effective
stabilisers like cement is that they can be expensive and their manufacture may create much pollution. Thus
their use should be kept to a minimum.
Those who choose to build with earth should also be careful about using paints or other coatings on the
surface of the earth walls. Some coatings have the effect of preventing the walls from ‘breathing’. When this
happens any water that gets absorbed into the walls may not have a way of escaping and so gets tapped.
This may lead to cracks or other signs of early deterioration of the earthen material.
1. Choose the best answer.
In ‘Building houses out of earth’, the writer’s main aim is to…
A. provide an overview of earth building.
B. promote the building of earth houses.
C. review the history of earth building.
D. examine the variety of earth buildings.
2. Name TWO places where earth building practices have existed for a long time.
Xinjiang Province , Southwestern United States

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3. Name THREE places where earth building is becoming more popular.
Australia, New Zealand, North America

4. In ‘Building houses out of earth’, the writer mentions several reasons why some people prefer
earth houses. Read the list of reasons below and choose FOUR that are referred to in the
passage.
A. cost of construction B. resistance to earthquakes C. stability of earth
D. heat storage capacity E. availability of materials F. construction technology
G. appearance and character

5. Use a NUMBER or NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS to answer the following questions.
a. What percentage of earth buildings in New Zealand were constructed in the past 5 years?
35
b. Name ONE building material that contains chemical preservatives.
Brick
c. Name the feature of earth houses that enables them to keep temperatures low in summer.
Passive solar capacity
d. Name TWO substances that can lengthen the life of earth as a building material.
Cowdung and straw

6. Complete the flow chart below. Choose ONE or TWO words from the passage for each answer.

(a) ……………..

(b) ……………..

a) Coatings
b) Deterioration
SECTION C: WRITING
Rewrite the following sentences beginning as shown or using the word given. Do not change the
meaning of the original sentences.
1. Some people accept that life is full of problems. RESIGN
Some people resign themselves to the theory that life is full of problems.
2. The community spoke enthusiastically about the recently elected mayor. SANG
The community sang the recently elected mayor praises.
3. We would always take great care when flying at night. WITS
We always used to keep our wits about us when flying at night.
4. We suspected the weather would get cold so we took warm clothes. ANTICIPATION
We took warm clothes in anticipation of the weather being cold.
5. He failed the exam because he hadn’t revised or understood the questions. MUCH
He failed the exam as much out of lack of revision as misunderstanding the questions.
6. My sister makes much of eating healthy food. ATTACHES
My sister attaches to eating healthy food.
7. Why on earth did you do something as dangerous as that? POSSESSED
Why on earth possessed you to do something as dangerous as that?
8. Her primus stove ceased to function on the last day. GASP

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 Her primus stove gave its last gasp on the last day.
9. At this time of year, the area is often affected by violent storms. FEELS
At this time of year, the area feels the effects of violent storms.
10. Trade has deteriorated and staff are being laid off. BAD
Trade has gone from bad to worse and staff are being laid off.